Table 1.
MRI methods used in human placenta imaging.
| MRI method | What it measures | Sequence | Morphometry | Blood flow | Oxygenation (O2) | Contrast required | FGR | CHD | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T2WI | Tissue Structure and pathology | Long time (LT), gradient recall echo (GRE) with low flip angle | Yes | No | No | No | T2* imaging scores were significantly lower in FGR placenta | Greater variance within placental lobular size in CHD patients | Chavhan et al. (19); Steinweg et al. (20); Wen et al. (21) |
| 2D TOF MRA | Vasculature Structure | Conventional 2D/3D GRE | Minimal | Yes | No | No | – | – | Kuo et al. (22) |
| PC MRA | Vascular Structure + Flow | Balanced motion sensing bipolar gradients | Yes | Yes | No | No | – | – | Kuo et al. (22) |
| DCE-MRI | Vasculature Structure + Perfusion | T1-weigted gradient echo | No | Yes | No | Yes | – | – | Siauve et al. (23) |
| DWI + ADC | Diffusion + Microstructure | DWI with 2 b-values | No | Yes | No | No | Increased gestational age-induced decrease in ADC of FGR patients | – | Siauve et al. (23) Kuhnke et al. (24) |
| DWI + IVIM | Perfusion + Diffusion + Microstructure | DWI with 3 + b values | No | Yes | No | No | D and D* increased in late onset FGR f is decreased In late-onset FGR |
– | (Siauve et al. (23); Kuhnke et al. (24); Andescavage et al. (25) |
| ASL | Perfusion | Flow sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) | No | Yes | No | No | – | VsASL indicates decreased global placental perfusion in second half og gestation within CHD patients Increased intra-placental perfusion variation compared to healthy controls |
(Siauve et al. (23); Zun et al. (26) |
| DTI | Microstructure + Diffusion (unseparated) | Spin Echo—Echo Planar Imaging (SE-EPI) | No | No | No | No | – | Nana et al. (27) | |
| DKI | Microstructure+ Diffusion (unseparated: non-gaussian distribution) | SE-EPI | No | No | No | No | Positive diffusion kurtosis values associated with normal placenta—deviations may indicate FGR | – | Zhu et al. (28) |
| BOLD | Oxygenation | T2* Relaxation times OR SE/gradient echo (GE) |
No | No | Yes | No | Decreased placentaly oxygenation following maternal hyperoxic exposure in FGR patients | Higher placental oxygenation within single ventricle and aortic obstruction CHD patients, compared to healthy and other CHD patients | (Forster et al. (29) |
| SWI | Oxygenation | LE, fully flow compensated GRE | No | No | Yes | Yes—does not use extrinsic contrast agent | – | Barnes et al. (30) | |
| NMR | Metabolic activity | Chemical shift imaging (CSI) | No | No | No | No | Increased placemtal glycine levels Altered placental uric acid cycle activity |
– | Siauve et al. (23) |